Hightest Staff

JIM & TEAL KNAPP

Owners

Jim & Teal purchased Hightest in 2018 with the intention of carrying on the tradition of quality training and breeding that Hightest has become renowned for. Prior to purchasing Hightest, Jim and Teal owned Wyman Creek Kennel, a dog training/boarding facility also located in Butte County. They successfully trained dogs for obedience, agility, search and rescue, and hunting.

Teal is a nationally recognized Senior Licensed Guide Dog Orientation and Mobility Instructor (GDOMI). She worked for Guide Dogs for the Blind from 1990-2013, training more than 3,000 dogs for blind and visually impaired handlers.

Jim is an agriculture teacher at Las Plumas High School in Oroville. He has been teaching agriculture at LP for over 25 years and operates the farming operation both at Hightest and on the family farm. Jim is an avid bird and big game hunter. He has trained his personal retrievers to hunt for more than thirty years.

BAILEY

Puppy Building Manager/Trainer

Canine Good Citizen Evaluator

BAILEY has had a big heart for animals since childhood. She currently hunts over her own Labrador during duck season and Hound dogs during raccoon season. She enjoys experiencing each dogs development, start to finish, and is dedicated to getting the optimum result with her dogs in training. Bailey became the Puppy Building Manger in 2018 and thrives on raising our puppies, ensuring they are of the best health and temperament before they are placed in loving homes. Bailey joined our training team in 2017 and has successfully placed 5 active Diabetic Alert Service dogs across the nation.

MELISSA

Kennel Manager / Green Dog Scent Detection

MELISSA is our beloved Kennel Manager. She has an amazing eye for detail and keeps our facilities in outstanding shape which is why she was promoted to oversee all daily happenings at Hightest since 2018. Every dog boarded and trained at our kennel is under the direct supervision of Melissa. Recently she has been participating in AKC Scent Trials with her Labrador Wylde, and establishing a new program at Hightest directed around scent detection. You can also find Melissa in our breeding facilities assisting with the care of our puppies and breeding stock.

BAYLIE

Gun Dog Trainer

BAYLIE comes to Hightest with a horse training background. She is known locally for her ability to naturally connect with animals and enrich their bond. This started as a hobby with her Pitbull, Nova teaching her obedience in public settings and tricks that'd put a smile on everyone's face. She decided to turn that into a career at Hightest in 2019 as an Obedience and Gun Dog trainer, working closely with professional trainer Gary Breitbarth. She and her Labrador, Rooster are competing in AKC Hunt Tests this year. Baylie is currently training part-time while raising her first son - who has already taken an interest to the family dogs and horses.

ANNA

DAD/Obedience Trainer/Gun Dog Trainer/ Canine Good Citizen Evaluator

Anna comes to us with a wealth of experience and knowledge of bird dogs. Her father, long time trainer and field judge - Gary Breitbarth, ignited her passion for dog training. From a young age Anna has been attending and handling Spaniels at field trials throughout the West coast & Midwest.

Anna joined our training team in 2021 and immediately immersed herself in learning many techniques and branches of K-9 training including obedience, service dog tasks, scent detection, and the occasional trick or two! She and her Labrador - Cane have been very successful in AKC hunt tests and scent detection trials recently.

Anna's dedication to teaching both dogs and their owners has made quite an impression with clients, earning her many referrals. Her honesty and easy communication skills give great confidence to our clients while they learn how to handle their dogs in training.

SIERRA

Apprentice Trainer

SHANTELLE

Obedience Trainer

BRADEN

Thrower

EMMA

Apprentice Trainer

JAMES

Kennel Worker